Creighton Wins MVC Title, Clinches NCAA Berth

Eric Francis/Getty Images(ST. LOUIS) — Another Missouri Conference Valley title and another trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Creighton Blue Jays.

Creighton defeated Wichita State, 68-65, in the MVC championship game to clinch their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Sunday.

Doug McDermott, who averages 23 points, was held to only 14 after missing six of his first seven shots. However, teammate Ethan Wragge came off the bench to pick up the slack, hitting five three-pointers.

“Once I knocked one down, I went for two and then kept on going,” Wragge said. “This is what our team has been about all year. If they are going to take away our first or second option, then we’ve got a third or fourth option and we can all step up.”

Wichita State (26-8) got 28 points from Malcom Armstead in the loss, but feel confident about their chances to get an at-large berth come Selection Sunday. “We’ve just got to stay positive,” senior forward Carl Hall said. “It’s a new season coming up in like a week and a half.”